It’s now mere weeks away until Thailand’s long-awaited general elections take place on 24 March 2019. The date was set by the Election Commission on 23 January 2019, only hours after a royal decree was issued authorising the poll.
A 40-year-old tycoon who has become the darling of Thai millennials thanks to his sharp social media messaging on Wednesday decried efforts to "kick out his legs", as his upstart pro-democracy party soars in profile ahead of next month's election.
Thailand's junta defended its US$7 billion defence budget and annual draft this week after political opponents proposed slashing military spending by 10 percent and ending conscription after the upcoming general elections.
After generals seized power in Thailand in a 2014 coup, they turned to Beijing to kickstart growth and buff up their vision of an innovative, developed country steered by wise leaders and buoyed by China-backed infrastructure.
Junta chief Prayut Chan-o-cha's grip on power was tossed into doubt by the political cameo of a princess, but a week later his ambitions to rebrand as a civilian leader appear back on track, a survivor – for now – of Thailand's treacherous politics.
Allies of Thailand’s exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra are seeking to woo voters with a plan to revive economic growth after a failed bid to run King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s sister as a prime minister candidate in next month’s election.
Thailand was recently taken by surprise when news broke that its princess, Ubolratana Rajakanya, had been announced as prime ministerial candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart Party – a party reportedly affiliated to Thaksin Shinawatra.
Opponents of the Shinawatra political clan campaigned triumphantly in the Thai capital on Sunday, after a weekend of high political drama when a Thai princess' bid to be premier provoked a rare royal rebuke.
The upcoming Thai election has got everyone excited. Everyday there are new twists and turns in the unfolding drama.
On 24 March this year, at long last, Thais will finally be able to head to the polls to elect a government after more than four years of military rule.
In the coming month of February, we will usher in the Chinese Lunar New Year, otherwise known as the Spring Festival.
Thailand will hold a general election on 24 March, authorities said Wednesday, the first national poll since a 2014 coup knocked out the civilian government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
